Some people say that we can never be millionaires by working for someone, which is why some people choose to run their own businesses instead. It is not hard to find new inventions and innovative business ideas from food and clothing to toys and other technical stuffs in hope for these ideas to attract customers. Of course, the higher the demand, the bigger the profit.
However, sometimes it is better to think simple than thinking about complex ideas. Sometimes ridiculously simple ideas turn out to be more popular and not to mention, more profitable. The products listed below are some of business ideas which have turned their inventors into multi-millionaires.
#1 The Post-it Notes by Spencer Silver
Dr. Spencer Silver was a chemist who was working on a new type of glue when he accidentally discovered a glue that allowed firm attachment to a surface but could be easily peeled off at the same time. Later, he came up with an idea to put a strip of the glue to bright coloured papers. This idea has turned Dr. Spencer Silver into billionaires.
#2 Plaster
One day, an unknown researcher came Johnson & Johnson company in 1920s to invent the plaster. The idea came up when the researcher’s wife accidentally cut herself when preparing for their dinner. He then used a plaster to cover the wound from infection. Ever since the incident, plasters have been sold by many companies and now, they can be found everywhere.
#3 Velcro by George de Mestral
George de Mestral was an engineer from Switzerland. He created velcro when he was researching about burdock seeds which stuck to his pants when he was on a hiking trip. He knew that the seeds could stick to almost anything. Today, his parent company gains approximately $100 millions annually.
#4 The Upside-down Bottle by Paul Brown
Paul Brown invented the upside-down bottle in 1991 and sold his invention to NASA, Heinz, and several shampoo manufacturers. Later, he sold his company and his copyright in 1995 and gained $14 millions in return.
#5 Spiral Drinking Straws
These unique and bright coloured drinking straws are immensely popular among children around the globe. Do you know these fun and unusual straws were first created to encourage children to drink more milk and juices, not carbonated drinks?
#6 Hula Hoop
Arthur K. “Spud” Melin and Richard Knerr saw a group of children played with hoops made out of bamboo. So, they decided to replace the bamboo with plastic. Approximately, 100 millions of hula hoops have been sold so far and turned its inventors into millionaires.
#7 Beanie Babies by Ty Warner
Ty Warner gained millions of dollars from these beanie beans which are filled with pellet. These beanies are considered collectors’ items.
#8 Pillow Pets by Jennifer Telfer
These adorable pillow pets quickly became children’s favourite thanks to Jennifer Telfer. As a mother, she realised how her son loved plush teddy bears and fluffy toys as pillows. She then turned into a business idea and made millions from it. Apparently, mom knows the best!
#9 Crocs
The company which created Crocs gained millions in profit from these rubber slippers. Even though Crocs is no longer a popular item nowadays, no one can argue that it once became a worldwide trend.
#10 The Rainbow Slinky by Richard James
This is just a rainbow spring but its inventor gained $250 millions from these springs alone! This incredible business idea came when he accidentally dropped a spring on the floor.
Do you feel inspired yet? Well, most of these inventions were created out of accidents and simple observations. So the next time you think of an idea, do not just ignore it. You could be a multi-millionaire if you turn it into a business!
